Rooted - Abiding

Here we are in the middle of winter. It is that time of year when there are no leaves on the trees and no budding flowers in bloom outdoors. There are no apples growing on the trees in the orchard and no ears of corn forming on cornstalks in the fields. Even so, I am starting us off in a new sermon series with a passage about growing plants and fruit. But I also think this time of year during the winter provides a good observation that trees and flower bulbs in the ground are not dead just because there are no blooming leaves at this exact moment. All summer long the leaves on a tree take the sunlight and carbon dioxide and together with water pulled up from the roots turn that into glucose which feeds the tree and gives it the nutrients to survive.

During the winter months trees keep thriving off those stored up nutrients tucked down underground in the roots. And in the springtime, when the weather turns warmer again, the roots send those nutrients back up the branches so that the tree can bud new leaves and start the process all over again.

Roots are the essential part of the plant. Branches and limbs that are broken off cannot continue to grow and thrive. But it is amazing how a tree can be completely cut down at the trunk, but after some time that trunk in the ground begins sprouting up new branches—the roots survive and keep growing. There are nutrients for a plant that come from being rooted which cannot come from anywhere else. Let’s take a look in these coming few weeks at what it means for us to be people who have a faith that is rooted. And there is no better place for us to begin than the words of Jesus about growing vines.

John 15:5–17 (NIV)

John 15:5–17 NIV

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

Fellowship Church is beginning a process called the Church Renewal Lab. It is a two-year process and we have put together a team that is a few months into the beginning steps. The Church Renewal Lab is a collaborative program, which means that our team is paired together with eight other churches throughout North America all going through this renewal process at the same time—we learn from each other as we consider what renewal means and looks like each in our own individual context.

semper reformada — that we are people always being reformed; that God is continually working and moving in our hearts through the Holy Spirit to mold and shape our lives more and more into the image of Christ

This is a good time of year for me to turn and focus our attention as a congregation on this idea of renewal. People often use the start of a new year to make resolutions and consider ways they might make improvements in life—whether it is to get in shape with a little more exercise, or developing some healthier eating habits, or picking up a new hobby, or planning a trip to take in the coming year. Many of us tend to give at least a little bit of thought and attention towards some kind of renewal at the start of a new year. So, let me take us through some considerations in these coming weeks on the topic of a renewing faith-life in the context of a renewing congregation. It is famously said of the Reformed tradition of the church using the Latin words semper reformada that we are people always being reformed; that God is continually working and moving in our hearts through the Holy Spirit to mold and shape our lives more and more into the image of Christ.

often renewal takes the form of change

Now then, often renewal takes the form of change. We make New Year’s resolutions because we see parts of ourselves that we would like to change. And there is no way of getting around the reality that churches in North America today need to change in order to effectively accomplish the mission Christ gave for the church. Our Renewal Lab team here is currently reading a book about the explorers Lewis and Clark who were tasked with going up the Missouri River to find the fabled Northwest Passage—a waterway route that would lead to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark began the journey with boats only do eventually discover the Rocky Mountains. They had to change their methods in order to keep going because boats were useless for crossing mountains. They stayed focused on the mission, but the surrounding context of their landscape meant they necessarily had to change and adapt their methods in order to keep moving forward.

values we see in scripture which remain constant, features of our faith together as a church which do not change — things that keep us rooted

But here is the thing I want us to consider in these coming weeks; what must remain the same in order for renewal to work and be effective? Change just for the sake of change does not accomplish much of anything—it is not sustainable. There are a handful of values we see in scripture which remain constant, features of our faith together as a church which do not change.

Or in other words, things that keep us rooted.

abide — embrace a certain dedication that does not give up; to remain in one place or consistently moving in one direction

The feature I want us to consider today that keeps us rooted is the value of abiding. Author and theologian Eugene Peterson wrote a book about this idea of abiding in our faith, and the title of the book says it well. Peterson titled the book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. To abide means we embrace a certain dedication that does not give up. Abiding means we see it through to the end. It means we stay with a project until we see it completed. It means you stay in the game and keep giving it your best. And those of you who play on sports teams know that sometimes the game does not go your way and it becomes clear a particular game will be a loss. But to abide means you see that game through to the end without quitting, still giving your best because you know there will be other games that go better.

story of remaining in the vine teaches us about abiding in faith

In John 15 Jesus tells a story about a vine and branches which teaches us something about a faith that is abiding. The English word we see over and over again in this passage which tips us in that direction is the word “remain.” What does Jesus mean for us to understand about remaining in him? And what does this teach us about the value of abiding? There are some clues right in the words of this passage. Take a look at exactly what Jesus instructs his followers to remain in.

Verse 5 – remain in me — abiding in Jesus

connection to our savior Jesus cannot be understated

Verse 5 – remain in me. Connection to our savior Jesus cannot be understated. Jesus himself uses imagery in this passage to describe it well. It is like the branch of a vine connected to the root. The only way that branch can thrive and grow fruit is by continual connection to the rest of the vine all the way down to the root. Jesus states this in a way that is non-negotiable. Being connected to Jesus is not just a suggestion to either choose or ignore. No, it is clear in these verses that the only way a follower of Jesus is able to thrive and grow spiritual fruit is by remaining connected to Jesus. Gods is the source of our spiritual nutrients; and only a connection through Jesus brings that spiritual growth into our life.

judges — tendency to only turn attention to God in desperate moments when it is needed; and then completely disconnect from God once it seems convenient to go their own way

I wonder in our world how often we fall into seeing this connection more like a gas station than a growing vine? What I mean is, doesn’t it seem in our world like God is the place to go only when the fuel in your spiritual tank begins to feel empty. And then once you check in with God and feel your spiritual strength replenished, then it’s back off on our own way again until the next time we need to refuel. This seems to be the way many people in our community go about their spiritual lives. There are people who will only ask for prayer when some circumstance arises and they really need help. And once the crisis subsides, they turn attention away from God and go along their own way. But of course, it’s not just our world. Look at the Old Testament book of Judges. This was the pattern over and over again with God’s people in Israel. People all throughout history have had the tendency to only turn attention to God in desperate moments when it is needed; and then completely disconnect from God once it seems convenient to go their own way.

remaining continually in Jesus opens a path of spiritual growth that produces the kind of spiritual fruit God intends for our lives

Verse 7 – if you remain in me, my words remain in you — abiding in scripture

This is where the value of abiding shows up. Remaining continually in Jesus opens a path of spiritual growth that produces the kind of spiritual fruit God intends for our lives. That leaves us with a question though. How do we remain connected continually to Jesus? What does that abiding look like for us? The words of this passage help us here as well. Verse 7 – if you remain in me, my words remain in you. Abiding in Jesus is directly connected to abiding in the Word of God. We cannot abide in the Word of God unless we read and know the Word of God. This is about spending time reading your Bible, plain and simple. There is no one right way to do it. You can have individual devotions by yourself; you can be part of a Bible study group that meets; you can join an online Bible reading plan with others. Abiding with Jesus begins by being in God’s Word as a regular part of your day and your week.

Verse 9 – remain in my love — abiding in obedience (love others)

Verse 9 – remain in my love. Abiding in Jesus is directly connected to abiding in his love. Making the most of every opportunity to echo the love of God in the way we live with one another keeps us connected and rooted in Jesus. Verse 10 goes on to explain that the one who remains in God’s love keeps his commands. This may seem like a tall order (because the Bible is filled with so many commands—more than we could ever keep), but twice Jesus says in response that his command is one thing: love each other. All the commands of the Bible are meant to point us in one direction towards one thing: to love as God loves. Abiding in Jesus never goes wrong when we follow the way of God’s love.

“if” (Greek ean) — are these conditional statements?

Let me close with a note of encouragement about the way in which this comes to us and is applied in our lives. There is another English word that shows up a lot in this passage: the word “if.” I think that can be a little misleading towards our understanding, because the Greek word ean which is translated as “if” carries different nuances in Greek that come over into English clearly.

If X happens then Y will happen — implication: if X does not happen then Y will not happen

absence of Greek hina — Jesus does not mean these to be conditional statements

One possibility is that these are conditional statements. If X happens then Y will happen. The implication is that if X does not happen then Y will not happen. Look at all the “if” statements in this passage. If these are meant as conditional statements, then we are all in a world of trouble. If we do not remain in Jesus, then we are a branch that is withered and burns. If you do not keep God’s commands, then God’s love does not remain in you. Verse 14 – you are no longer a friend of Jesus if you do not obey Jesus. This whole passage might sound rather scary if we interpret all these verses as conditional statements. But in order to be conditional statements in the Greek language, there is typically also an additional Greek word hina that goes with it, which is largely absent from this entire passage. My point being this: I don’t think Jesus means these to be conditional statements. Jesus is not saying that you can only be friends with God and you can only be loved by God if you live up to the standards.

“if” = these are coordinated statements

because of X the result is Y

because Jesus abides in me, the result is… bearing much spiritual fruit remaining in God’s Word loving others

This means all these “if” statements carry a different meaning. They are coordinated statements. And certainly don’t miss the way Jesus frames the coordination of what is described in this passage. We catch up to this at the end in verse 16. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you.” This whole story about a vine and branches is not God’s way of saying, “you better do this or else.” It is God’s way of saying, “because I have already done this for you, here is the result.” The words of this passage are not a threat; the words of this passage are a promise God makes to us. Abiding in good spiritual fruit, abiding in God’s Word, abiding in Christ’s love; those things are not the condition for abiding in Jesus, those things are the result of abiding in Jesus. Or stated more correctly, those things are the result of Jesus abiding in you.

Jesus come abide in me so that I may abide in you

start by focusing on connection with Jesus, and let Jesus be the one who takes care of producing the results of that connection in and through your life

Do you need a place to start on this path today? Start with this: Jesus come abide in me so that I may abide in you. Instead of focusing on the results, start by focusing on connection with Jesus, and let Jesus be the one who takes care of producing the results of that connection in and through your life. And as for a church that is being renewed, let’s begin together by committing to faithfully abide with Christ, because Christ has chosen to faithfully abide with us.